FAYETTEVILLE -- A Fayetteville man who is expected to be criminally charged in connection with a chase Saturday that ended in a fatal car wreck was free on bond while awaiting trial on previous criminal charges that include drugs, guns, reckless driving and fleeing.
Noah Lee Cargill, 20, is expected to be charged with negligent homicide, felony fleeing and other traffic violations, according to a news release from the Arkansas State Police.
A state trooper activated his lights and attempted a traffic stop Saturday after he witnessed a person, later identified as Cargill, driving a Dodge Charger recklessly on Wedington Drive, the release states.
Cargill fled, running a red light and traveling through a neighborhood at a high speed, according to the release.
"The suspect swerved around cars on Rupple Road, nearly wrecking multiple times," the release states. "The suspect lost control of his vehicle and crashed into an oncoming vehicle, killing the civilian driver."
That driver -- David Michael Pemberton, 56, of California -- was pronounced dead at the scene.
Cargill has previous criminal cases pending in both Washington and Benton counties.
Cargill was charged Dec. 19 in Washington County Circuit Court with trafficking a controlled substance, psilocybin mushrooms; simultaneous possession of drugs and firearms; possession of marijuana with intent to deliver; possession of LSD with intent to deliver; maintaining a drug premises; possession of drug paraphernalia; and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Cargill was released on $50,000 bond on those charges while awaiting trial.
Cargill was also charged in November in Washington County Circuit Court with criminal mischief. According to court documents, Cargill was driving another person's car and wrecked, causing more than $5,000 damage. Cargill was released on $1,500 bond on that charge while awaiting trial.
In November 2022, Cargill was charged in Benton County Circuit Court with theft by receiving involving a firearm, tampering with physical evidence and misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance and several traffic violations. Cargill pleaded guilty in a plea deal with prosecutors in March and was sentenced to six years probation and fined $1,000.
In October 2023, prosecutors filed a petition to revoke Cargill's probation after he was arrested in Washington County on criminal mischief, reckless driving, fleeing and several other traffic violations. Cargill was released on $7,500 bond pending a hearing on the revocation, set for Feb. 15 in Benton County Circuit Court.